Firsts
by CurlyGleek
Summary: I am a sucker for romance and firsts of any kind, so this will be a collection of short stories about Nick and Jeff. I am open to prompts for further chapters. Rating may change for future chapters.


The Reunion

He sighed and took one last steadying breath to calm his nerves, before opening the car door and stepping out onto the crunchy gravel. The car park was tucked away behind the main hall at Dalton Academy and appeared to be currently used as a staff car park. He shut the car door and walked to stand in front of it, looking up at the main building, squinting in the sunlight. His eyes followed along a familiar row of windows until they rested on his old dorm room. Years of memories flooded through his mind like a fast forward replay of an old home movie. He frowned.

"You made it!" A voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he wheeled around to see who had spotted him. "David! Good to see you, man!" He strode a couple of metres forward and engulfed his old friend in a bear hug.

"Jeff!" David exclaimed as the blond released him. "Long time no see!" He searched the blond's face, carrying on after an awkward pause. "I didn't see you at the last one of these… don't tell me this is the first one you've come to?"

Jeff ran his hand through his hair, trying to find an adequate response. "Yeah, it is… I nearly didn't make this one either. You know how it is… I live quite far away now, ever since college. And work is really busy…"

David looked like he didn't really buy it, but was polite enough not to call him on it. It was about the sixth one he'd been to, as far as he could remember.

"Dude, don't be a stranger again. Here's my number," he pulled out a business card from his law firm with practised ease and slid it into Jeff's palm, "…and you can find me on Facebook too, you know. As long as you don't mind hundreds of pictures of my adorable kids!" They laughed and David made a move towards the entrance. "Shall we? Even now, I never like to keep Wes waiting!" He chuckled and Jeff willed his feet to move after him.

Twelve years. It felt like yesterday to Jeff. He called out to David who was already further ahead. "I'll be right in, you go on without me." David gestured that he understood and disappeared through the heavy wooden doors, leaving Jeff alone again.

Looking at the doors he felt like he was in a ghost story. It was so vivid he could almost see his younger self running through those doors…twelve years ago.

 _The tears he could no longer hold back streamed down his cheeks as he burst out into the fresh air. He couldn't believe his secret was out after so many careful days, weeks, months… hell years of keeping it to himself. He had to get out… get as far away as possible. Everything was ruined._

The sound of a couple more cars approaching made Jeff move around to the side of the building, hoping there was still a bench there. Relieved to find there was, he sat down and rested back on his hands. It was here that Nick found him.

"Jeff!" Gravel crunched under running feet and a breathless Nick was suddenly by his side. He let out a breath and stood up to greet his old dorm-mate and best friend. _Ex-best friend. You fucked that up royally, didn't you?_

"Oh my god, Jeff" He threw his arms around the taller man and clung on for dear life. "David said you were here, but you didn't come in and I thought….I thought…." Nick frowned but still didn't let go. He pulled back from the hug and held onto the fabric of Jeff's jacket.

"You thought I'd changed my mind." Jeff filled in for him.

Nick's face morphed from one emotion to another as the men stared into each other's eyes. Confusion, hurt, more confusion, relief, elation….anger.

"What the actual fuck, Jeff?" Jeff winced as the grip on his arms got painful and he could see tears pooling in Nick's eyes. "Where have you been? I thought you were dead, you asshole! How could you just leave….?"

Jeff snatched his arms free and stepped back a pace. Nick panicked. "Shit, I'm sorry, Jeff. Please, don't go. Can we talk? I don't have your number, you're not on Facebook, my letters all came back to me, your family wouldn't give me your number…" He pleaded, trying to show through his eyes how much he needed an explanation. "Please?" His voice cracked and a tear tracked down his cheek.

Jeff was shocked at the emotion in Nick's voice, after all these years. The wind mussed up his fringe as he nodded, silently sitting back on the bench. Nick cautiously sat next to him, seemingly afraid of upsetting him any more.

Minutes passed, the two men sat next to each other whilst their schoolboy selves practically screamed inside their heads….so much needed to be said….explained.

Nick broke the silence first. "So how are you?" _Stupid fucking question._

Jeff shrugged. "Fine. How about you…and…." He swallowed, willing the words out. 'Er…your family?"

Nick looked at his hands, realising he was wringing them in his lap. He stood up to pace back and forth as he answered. "Yeah, I'm good I guess….my parents still live in Westerville…" He was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, itching to get anything from Jeff.

Jeff looked confused. "And your..wife?" He tried not to choke on her name. "Melanie? And the baby…well, shit, you know what I mean, child now?" _Fucking smooth Sterling._

Nick's feet stopped abruptly, right in front of Jeff. "I'm not married, Jeff."

"What?"

"I'm not married."

Blood rushed in Jeff's ears. He hadn't heard right…surely? "But you said…"

"She lied. A couple of nights before our graduation ceremony here, she told me she was pregnant. Just when I was trying to tell her it was over…." He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. His jacket rode up with this gesture and Jeff couldn't help but look in admiration at Nick's fit body, crisply attired as always but so much more masculine after all this time. An expensive wrist watch glinted in the sunlight as Jeff looked up at Nick's frustrated expression. "It didn't make sense, I only slept with her once and we used a condom. She said it must've split."

Nick dropped his hand and carried on pacing. "You know what my father was like back then." Jeff snorted and nodded. "Her parents told mine and you can work out the rest."

Jeff couldn't sit any more. _Nick isn't married. There was no baby. I feel sick._ He stood and walked a few paces past Nick onto the grass, hands in his pockets. He waited for Nick to carry on.

"What about you? Are you married?" Nick was desperate to know where his friend had been all these years. "Do you have a …wife? Husband? Are you-….are you.."

"Gay?" The blond supplied. Nick nodded, relieved Jeff understood what he was trying to ask, awkwardly flailing his hands.

Jeff looked into his eyes. "Yeah." He paused. "But I'm not married."

Nick exhaled loudly. "Shit. This is so messed up." He sat down on the bench again and waited for Jeff to join him.

"I'm so fucking sorry." He looked sideways at Jeff. "I handled it so badly. You were trying to talk to me that day and I should've told you about Melanie first." He looked back at his lap. "It's just that it was supposed to be my proudest day here - and she just snatched my future away with a lie. She admitted it a couple of months later." He looked back at Jeff. "But I couldn't find you!"

Jeff's mouth was dry. He licked his lips to speak, noticing Nick's eyes following the movement. "I'm sorry I ran. I should've been there for you, but I was so embarrassed. I couldn't believe I'd finally told you….and then you told me that."

 _"_ _Nick, I want to tell you something that I've kept secret for a long time. Today is our last day at Dalton, so I want to get this off my chest before we all head off for college."_

 _"_ _I need to tell you a secret too, Jeff." Nick looked scared._

 _"_ _It's okay Nick, you can tell me anything…." Nick's breathing started to get ragged. Jeff tried to calm his best friend down. "How about we say it at the same time? Will that help?" He stepped closer to Nick, reaching to hold his hand to steady his nerves. Nick nodded, biting his lip._

 _"_ _Melanie's pregnant."_

 _"_ _I love you."_

 _Both boys frowned in shock. Jeff dropped Nick's hand and stepped backwards….turned…and ran._

Silence settled on them again, before Jeff asked, "You were going to dump her? Before graduation? Why?"

Nick looked at Jeff and a small smile played at the corner of his mouth. "Because you weren't the only one with a secret crush on his room-mate. I think Melanie suspected it, which is why she got so pushy about us going all the way."

"You're…you're…" Jeff couldn't form the words.

"Gay? Yeah. I know that now." He shook his head. "That went down worse with my parents than the whole baby thing."

"And….and…" Jeff was mentally flailing, unable to breathe properly.

"…and I was going to ask you out after graduation."

 _Well shit._

"I'm sorry I ran. Actually, I moved to England for my degree and stayed there for work." Nick's eyebrows shot up. "I set up a theatre school for kids and it's doing well. I recently sold the business and decided to move back home. I'm just trying to decide where to live now. I got Wes' email about the reunion via the Dalton Alumni service and decided it was time I faced you."

"No wonder I couldn't find you." Nick shook his head. "Are you….seeing anyone at the moment? Any boyfriend in England coming to join you?" He held his breath, waiting for the blond's reply.

"No." Jeff smiled, years of angst raising up from his shoulders.

"Then I'd like to take you out for dinner tonight, if you're free?" Nick's hand edged towards Jeff's on the bench, needing contact.

"I'd like that." Jeff replied. He looked down at Nick's hand, but instead launched himself at Nick for another crushing hug, arms locking round his neck. Nick threw his arms round Jeff's body, feeling his strong muscles through his shirt, under his jacket, breathing in the familiar scent of his hair and cologne.

"I've missed you so much, Jeffie." Nick could barely speak with the emotions that were crashing over him in waves. "Me too!" Mumbled Jeff near his ear.

And then suddenly Jeff pulled back a fraction and cupped Nick's jaw with his hand. Then he leant in for the kiss that he had always dreamt about, every single night he had slept on Dalton grounds.


End file.
